_How Sir Bors sought Launcelot and found him in the hermitage, and of
the lamentation between them._
Now turn we unto Sir Bors de Ganis, that came unto Winchester to seek
after his cousin, Sir Launcelot; and so when he came to Winchester,
anon there were men that Sir Lavaine had made to lie in a watch for
such a man; and anon Sir Lavaine had warning; and then Sir Lavaine came
to Winchester, and found Sir Bors, and there he told him what he was,
and with whom he was, and what was his name. Now, fair knight, said Sir
Bors, I require you that ye will bring me to my lord Sir Launcelot.
Sir, said Sir Lavaine, take your horse, and within this hour ye shall
see him. And so they departed, and came to the hermitage.
And when Sir Bors saw Sir Launcelot lie in his bed, pale and
discoloured, anon Sir Bors lost his countenance, and for kindness and
pity he might not speak, but wept tenderly a great while. And then when
he might speak he said thus: O my lord Sir Launcelot, God you bless,
and send you hasty recovery; and full heavy am I of my misfortune and
of mine unhappiness, for now I may call myself unhappy, and I dread me
that God is greatly displeased with me, that he would suffer me to have
such a shame for to hurt you, that are all our leader and all our
worship, and therefore I call myself unhappy. Alas, that ever such a
caitiff knight as I am should have power by unhappiness to hurt the
most noblest knight of the world. Where I so shamefully set upon you
and overcharged you, and where ye might have slain me, ye saved me, and
so did not I: for I, and your blood, did to you our utterance. I
marvel, said Sir Bors, that my heart or my blood would serve me,
wherefore my lord Sir Launcelot, I ask your mercy. Fair cousin, said
Sir Launcelot, ye be right welcome, and wit ye well overmuch ye say for
to please me, the which pleaseth me not; for why? I have the same
sought, for I would with pride have overcome you all, and there in my
pride I was near slain, and that was in mine own default, for I might
have given you warning of my being there. And then had I had no hurt;
for it is an old said saw, there is hard battle there as kin and
friends do battle either against other; there may be no mercy, but
mortal war. Therefore, fair cousin, said Sir Launcelot, let this speech
overpass, and all shall be welcome that God sendeth; and let us leave
off this matter, and let us speak of some rejoicing: for this that is
done may not be undone, and let us find a remedy how soon that I may be
whole. Then Sir Bors leaned upon his bed’s side, and told Sir Launcelot
how the queen was passing wroth with him, because he ware the red
sleeve at the great justs. And there Sir Bors told him all how Sir
Gawaine discovered it by your shield that ye left with the fair maiden
of Astolat. Then is the queen wroth, said Sir Launcelot, and therefore
am I right heavy, for I deserved no wrath, for all that I did was
because that I would not be known. Right so excused I you, said Sir
Bors, but all was in vain, for she said more largely to me than I to
you now. But is this she, said Sir Bors, that is so busy about you,
that men call the fair maiden of Astolat? She it is, said Sir
Launcelot, that by no means I cannot put from me. Why should ye put her
from you? said Sir Bors, she is a passing fair damsel, and a well
beseen and well taught; and God would, fair cousin, said Sir Bors, that
ye could love her, but as to that I may not, nor I dare not, counsel
you. But I see well, said Sir Bors, by her diligence about you, that
she loveth you entirely. That me repenteth, said Sir Launcelot. Sir,
said Sir Bors, she is not the first that hath lost her pain upon you,
and that is the more pity. And so they talked of many more things. And
so within three days or four, Sir Launcelot was big and strong again.